Cardiac Arrest During Long-Distance Running Races[1]
Summary
Importance More than 29 million participants completed marathons and half-marathons in the US between 2010-2023, approximately 3 times the number from 2000-2009. Contemporary long-distance race-related cardiac arrest incidence and outcomes are unknown. Objective To determine the incidence and outcomes of cardiac arrests during US marathons and half-marathons between 2010-2023 from a record of race finishers and a comprehensive review of cases from media reports, direct contact with race directors, USA Track & Field claims, and interviews with survivors or next of kin. Design, Setting, and Participants Observational case series from the Race Associated Cardiac Event Registry; cohort data from US marathon and half-marathon runners from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2023. Case profiles were reviewed to determine etiology and factors associated with survival. Incidence and etiology data were compared with historical reference standards (2000-2009). Exposure Recreational long-dis